A CAMPAIGNING council fears speeding motorists will cause a serious accident in a quiet village.

Tolleshunt Major Parish Council carries out multiple speed patrols in the area.

In recent patrols, the council reported a total of 71 speeding vehicles across a total of two hours.

The council now worries the frequency of speeding drivers will lead to a serious incident.

Over the space of a year from April 2021 until March 2022, 247 speeding vehicles were recorded in the neighbouring village of Tolleshunt Knights.

Out of those recorded, 18 drivers were prosecuted.

Tolleshunt Major parish council clerk Vysian Banyard said: “For many years the parish council and residents of Tolleshunt Knights have had concerns about the level of speeding in the village.

“When Maldon District Council introduced the Trucam speed patrols some years ago the parish council decided to pay for four half hourly patrols per month and these currently take place in three different locations in the village.

“The number of captured vehicles has always been high but July 2022 has been a record with 71 captures made over the two hours of patrols.

“Whilst the parish council is pleased at this result, it is frustratin some drivers still do not take notice of the 30mph speed limits in the village and it fears, sooner or later, a serious accident will occur as a result of irresponsible driving.

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“The overall summary of captures in Tolleshunt Knights for the period April 2021 to March 2022 was 247 speeding vehicles, of which 18 drivers were prosecuted, 199 sent on speed awareness courses, and 59 given the conditional offer of either a course or prosecution.

“It would be interesting to know how many of these were repeat offenders.

“It has been said over and over again that speed kills, especially in a small rural parish where roads can be narrow and sometimes with a lack of pedestrian footways.

“However, it seems that some people will never learn.”